G5083 — τηρέω (tēréō)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: G5083
Original: τηρέω
Transliteration: tēréō
Pronunciation: tay-reh'-o
Part of Speech: Verb
Root: from τερός teros (a watch; perhaps akin to G2334 theōreō)
Occurrences: 68 unique verses (75 tokens) across 16 NT books
First Occurrence: Mat 19:17 — "if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments"
Hapax Legomenon: No

Lexicon Definition¶

From τερός teros (a watch; perhaps akin to G2334); to guard (from loss or injury, properly by keeping the eye upon; and thus differing from G5442, which is properly to prevent escaping; and from G2892, which implies a fortress or full military lines of apparatus), i.e. to note (a prophecy; figuratively to fulfil a command); by implication to detain (in custody; figuratively to maintain); by extension to withhold (for personal ends; figuratively to keep unmarried).

Semantic Domains¶

Louw-Nida: - 037009 — Control, Rule → Guard, Watch Over - 036003 — Guide, Discipline → Obey, Disobey

Other words in 037009: τήρησις (G5084), φρουρέω (G5432), φυλακή (G5438), φύλαξ (G5441), φυλάσσω (G5442)

UBS Semantic Domains: - [013] Be, Become, Exist, Happen - [037] Control, Rule - [036] Guide, Discipline, Follow

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation Group	Verses	%
keep / keepeth / kept / keeping / will keep	~54	79%
observe / to observe	4	6%
reserved / is reserved / to be reserved / to reserve	7	10%
watching / watched / keepers / hold fast	3	4%

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
1 John	8	7.6
2 Peter	4	6.6
Jude	4	—
Revelation	10	2.5
James	2	1.9
1 Timothy	2	1.8
John	16	1.8
2 Timothy	1	1.2
1 Thessalonians	1	1.1
1 Peter	1	1.0
Acts	9	0.9
Matthew	6	0.6
Ephesians	1	0.6
2 Corinthians	1	0.4
1 Corinthians	1	0.2
Mark	1	0.1

Overwhelmingly Johannine: John + 1 John + Revelation + Jude account for 38 of 68 verses (56%). The Epistles of John (1 John + 2 John + 3 John) show the highest density. Concentration drops sharply in the Pauline letters. Virtually absent in the Synoptics except Matthew.

Verb Form Distribution¶

Tense	Voice	Approx Count	Typical Function
Present	Active	~27	Ongoing, habitual keeping (imperative, infinitive, participle, indicative)
Aorist	Active	~13	Decisive or completed act of keeping
Perfect	Active	~4	"Have kept" — completed with continuing result
Perfect	Passive	~3	"Has been reserved/kept" — ongoing state
Future	Active	~4	Promises of keeping
Imperfect	Active/Pass	~4	Continuous past guarding
Aorist	Passive	~3	"To be reserved" — divine disposition

Present-tense dominance (~40%) reflects the word's core meaning as habitual, ongoing watchfulness rather than a single event. The perfect active ("I have kept," Jhn 15:10; 17:6; 2Ti 4:7) emphasizes the enduring fruit of obedience.

Semantic Categories¶

1. Keeping Commandments, Words, and Law (Obedient Observance)¶

The dominant usage — faithful, active compliance with a divine charge. - Jhn 14:15 — "If ye love me, keep my commandments." - 1Jo 2:3 — "Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments." - Rev 14:12 — "Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." - Rev 12:17 — "the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."

2. Physical Custody — Guarding a Person or Place¶

Concrete, literal guarding by soldiers or authorities. - Acts 12:5 — "Peter therefore was kept in prison." - Acts 16:23 — "charging the jailor to keep them safely." - Mat 27:36 — "sitting down they watched him there" (guard at the cross). - Mat 28:4 — "the keepers did shake, and became as dead men" (tomb guards).

3. Reserving for Future Judgment or Reward¶

Things (or persons) held in storage for a future appointed moment. - 1Pe 1:4 — "an inheritance... reserved in heaven for you." - 2Pe 2:4 — "delivered them into chains... to be reserved unto judgment." - 2Pe 3:7 — "the heavens and the earth... kept in store, reserved unto fire." - 2Pe 2:9 — "to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment."

4. Protective Keeping — Shielding from Harm¶

Jesus or the Father actively watching over believers to preserve them. - Jhn 17:11 — "Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me." - Jhn 17:15 — "that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." - Rev 3:10 — "I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation." - 1Th 5:23 — "your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless."

5. Maintaining / Preserving a Condition or Quality¶

Holding something intact over time — a state, a virtue, a relationship. - Jhn 2:10 — "thou hast kept the good wine until now." - 2Ti 4:7 — "I have fought a good fight... I have kept the faith." - Eph 4:3 — "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." - 1Co 7:37 — "hath power over his own will... to keep his virgin."

Common Collocations¶

Word	Strong's	Co-occurrences	Typical Pattern
θεός (theos)	G2316	17x (25%)	"keep the commandments of God"
λόγος (logos)	G3056	15x (22%)	"keep my word / the word of my patience"
ἐντολή (entolē)	G1785	14x (21%)	"keep his commandments" — the defining Johannine collocation
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous)	G2424	9x (13%)	"keep [Jesus'] commandments / words"
γινώσκω (ginōskō)	G1097	8x (12%)	keeping as the test of knowing God (1 John)
πατήρ (patēr)	G3962	7x (10%)	"I have kept my Father's commandments"
ἀγαπάω (agapaō)	G25	5x (7%)	love–keeping triad (Jhn 14:15, 21; 1Jo 5:2–3)
ἀγάπη (agapē)	G26	4x (6%)	"love of God, that we keep his commandments"

Word Family / Cognates¶

G5084 τήρησις (tērēsis) — keeping, custody; the cognate noun (Acts 4:3; 5:18; 1Co 7:19)
G1301 διατηρέω (diatēreō) — to watch thoroughly, preserve (dia + tēreō; Luk 2:51; Acts 15:29)

Synonyms¶

G5442 φυλάσσω (phylassō) — the closest keep/guard parallel; often overlaps with τηρέω but emphasizes preventing escape or breach.

Antonyms¶

No antonyms were returned by search_relationships.py for G5083.

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared Translation	Key Difference
φυλάσσω (phylassō)	G5442	keep, guard, observe	φυλάσσω = preventing escape (defensive containment); τηρέω = watching over, maintaining (active surveillance and fidelity)
κατέχω (katechō)	G2722	keep, hold fast	katechō = hold down/back by force; τηρέω = watchful custody

Domain Neighbors (037009 — Guard, Watch Over)¶

Strong's	Lemma	Verses	Primary KJV Translation
G5084	τήρησις	~3	keeping, hold, ward
G5432	φρουρέω	4	keep, garrison
G5442	φυλάσσω	~37	keep, beware, observe
G5438	φυλακή	47	prison, watch, ward
G5441	φύλαξ	3	keeper

Hebrew Source¶

Hebrew	Strong's	Transliteration	Co-occ	PMI Score	Gloss
נָצַר	H5341	nâtsar	8	7.27	to guard, watch, preserve
שָׁמַר	H8104	shâmar	10	4.78	to hedge about, keep, observe

The LXX pattern of nâtsar and shâmar + mitsvah (commandment) passes into the NT as τηρέω + ἐντολή (entolē), especially in John's writings.